This invention relates to improvements in cabinet structures and especially ones suitable for storage and/or display of a wide variety of small and medium sized products.
There is often a need, particularly in industrial and retail fields, to stock a large inventory of items and parts of graduated sizes and shapes in drawers on shelves, such that a great deal of shelf or drawer space is required. Much time and effort may be consumed in locating an ordered part or consumer product from such a setup. Attempts have been made to efficiently and economically store industrial parts and consumer products. See, for example, my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,370 issued Dec. 24, 1974, which describes and illustrates a stand of upright frusto-conical form having a plurality of compartments accessible from all parts of its perimeter. See also, for example, Luvara et al Canadian Pat. No. 967,515 issued May 13, 1975 which describes and illustrates a modular compartmented storage unit constructed with interchangeable elements and which may be sub-divided as required into smaller compartments.
To meet the need for a versatile, space-efficient storage system, a cabinet to receive tiered shelves is desirable which will allow simple changes in the vertical spacing of shelves, maximum utilization of space, and a variety of optional arrangements in the separation of shelves into compartments and the provision of drawers and bins and the like. Where the front of the cabinet is inclined so that it tapers to the top, shelves of different width become necessary so that shelves that are adjustable as to width reduce the number of different parts required. Provision of a simple means to install and relocate shelves is another factor to be considered in supplying that includes a standard series of cabinets, useable alone or in combination with other similar or compatible units.